A new direction, goals, and inspiration.

When I first created this blog earlier this year (and by created, I literally only mean that I registered for the username. I didn't start actually using it for a few months after that), it was really just to jump on the bandwagon. I've been a member of a different online community for MANY years and have met many awesome people through that. Within the past couple of years, a lot of people (friends included) starting making the shift from online journal to the blog world. I kept chugging along, behind my locked posts. When it comes to stuff online, whether it's a journal, Facebook or Twitter, I like to keep my information pretty private. Not like I really have anything earth shattering to say 99% of the time, but I just like the feeling of security I guess. Although, I'm pretty sure people can find out just about anything about you via the internet if they really tried, but that's beside the point.

My main concern with starting a blog and having it out in the open was that people I knew would read it. Then I realized how ridiculous that was (so if any of you are lurking out there, comment and say hi!). Again, I'm not posting my deepest, darkest secrets on here. In fact, I thought I'd use this tiny space in the blogosphere for whatever struck my fancy. I'm a pretty sarcastic person, so I thought maybe I'd end up with this tongue in chic blog that was just so witty and hilarious. Just kidding. I'm funny, but not that funny. The point is, I didn't really expect it to go in the direction that it's been going.

Now, if you could see the size of my rear end, you would know that I am certainly no expert when it comes to nutrition or fitness. However, considering the size of said rear end appears to be shrinking slowly but surely, I want to spread the word. Many people spend their entire lives struggling with their weight. Although I wish I had gotten on the ball sooner than 24, I'm thankful that I'm finally finding the right balance. I know what works for me, and given the fact that I know other people who have followed the same plan I have, it works for others as well. I didn't necessarily want to turn this into a "diet" and exercise blog, but it's a big part of my life right now. I clearly have nothing too exciting to post about, so for now, I'm going to roll with it.

A couple of goals that I have for myself and/or the blog:

- Learn to cook... and I mean COOK, with real, fresh, all natural ingredients. I'm not going to go all Top Chef over here, but I have found some recipes I'd like to try, such as these quinoa black bean burgers. Don't those look good? Yum.

- Post recipes/take pictures of meals that I deem edible. If I make a meal and it turns out to be a flop, oh well. I tried. But if I make a meal I'm proud of, I'd like to add it to the collection. I have a lot of friends who are also beginner cooks, so I hope that this will help all of us to have a database of easy, all natural meals that don't take hours to prepare and don't have millions of ingredients. If you have any favorites to recommend, shoot me a comment or an email!

- Continue to follow the 17 Day Diet (more on this coming soon!) and exercise at least 5x a week, because it's working for me. I found a woman who teaches Zumba all over Rochester, for just $5 a class! I don't need to join some fancy gym for $100+ a month just to take a couple of fitness classes. If you'd like to find a Zumba instructor in your area, go to zumba.com and search by zip code. Each instructor should have the times they teach and contact information. You can also find TONS of dances on YouTube or work out via DVD/gaming consoles.

- This is a goal for maybe a year or so from now, but since I've come to love Zumba so much, I've recently started thinking about how fun it would be to become certified and teach it. I think it would be a fun side job to supplement my actual teaching job. Getting paid to dance for a few hours? Sign me up.

Before I wrap things up, I just wanted to give a shoutout to four bloggers who have inspired me, in various ways. If you haven't already, please go check out these ladies and their wonderful blogs.

- Kelle at Enjoying the Small Things. Kelle's is the first blog I started following regularly. She's creative, hilarious, and is a fantastic photographer. Each post is filled with vibrant pictures of her beautiful girls and gorgeous South Florida surroundings. Mostly, she has inspired me to write more, but I've also gotten a lot of great ideas from her. She recently posted room inspiration for her daughter's bedroom (this picture came from another blog. See Kelle's finished product in her latest blog post). I thought that the framed book covers were SUCH a creative idea. I bookmarked the image to create it in my future classroom. How cute would that be on the wall near a classroom library, complete with cozy, colorful pillows? Super cute.

- Stacy at Every Little Thing. I've "known" Stacy for a few years now. She's basically my go-to lady when it comes to all natural/organic eating. She's also become quite the chef and has a whole slew of delicious recipes archived at her blog. She's definitely changed how I view food and labels. She's also incredibly helpful. Just a few days ago, she emailed me a long response regarding a question I had about processed foods. She has inspired me to cook with all natural ingredients and take the time to really learn about food.

-  Gina at The Fitnessista. Many of you are probably familiar with Gina's awesome blog, but if not, she's basically my fitness and nutrition guru. She's a fitness instructor and personal trainer, so she really knows her stuff. Plus, she was kind of in the same boat as I am 7 years ago. She found the right balance, lost 40 pounds, and has kept it off since. There's nothing more frustrating than losing weight only to gain it back, so I truly admire her for what she has achieved. She's also a very healthy eater and has posted some very interesting recipes that I'm dying to try. She has inspired me to keep chugging along and to go back to a mainly pescatarian diet.

- Katy at Think {Pretty} Thoughts. Katy is another fitness guru. Her body is out of control, and she has also lost weight and kept it off for many years. Let's be honest. Who doesn't secretly (or maybe not so secretly) hate the girl who hasn't had to lift a finger or watch what she eats her entire life, yet still manages to have the perfect body? Get real. I like to hear about success stories, because it gives me the confidence that it's possible to achieve the results you desire. All you need to do is put a little extra work in and you'll start to see a difference. Katy also inspires me to keep it moving, but she also provides great fashion inspiration. My beloved Target maxi dress? I first saw it on Katy in a different color combo, and I had to have it. Thanks for further fueling my shopping addiction, Katy! ;)

I know a lot of people are interested in learning more about 17 Day Diet, so my next couple of posts are going to focus on the various phases. I recommend buying the book for reference, but I've pulled the main ideas and typed them into a word document to share with you all. I've really enjoyed it and the concepts make a lot of sense. Since starting the diet on July 1st, I've lost 12 pounds. So really, if I can do it, anyone can.

I'm off to shower, paint my nails because they're looking a little rough, and get ready to go see The Help. If you haven't read the book, DO IT. It's VERY good. Hopefully the movie does it justice.